Though with great differences, Ellen DeGeneres and Jesús Vázquez portray societies that are slowly changing towards a better coexistence and respect. It is true that there is still a lot to be done but we have advanced and we must value this advancement. Gays and lesbians have conquered rights unjustly denied for years, an achievement that must extend from the big cities to rural areas where homosexuality is still penalized. This is a challenge for those organizations that work towards equality and diversity and that is why to link popular faces to the work of activists because celebrities can trespass frontiers and smooth a not always easy journey.

For Ellen, being a lesbian is part of her personality, not of her job. However, her marriage to actress Portia de Rossi shook the most conservative sectors of American society. After Ellen came out as a lesbian, televangelist Jerry Falwell referred to her in a sermon as “Ellen DeGenerate”, a remark that was vastly publicized in the US. DeGeneres responded by saying: “Really, he called me that? Ellen DeGenerate? I’ve been getting that since the fourth grade. I guess I’m happy I could give him work.”

With seven Emmys and uncountable honorary awards, Ellen is the most visible face of the LGBT movement and overall a North American icon.

On the other hand, Jesús Vázquez married his boyfriend of 5 years, Roberto Cortés, in 2005 and they did so in Spain that had just passed a LGBT marriage law. Without a doubt, his example has been key in achieving normalization. Jesús was basically the first celebrity to openly talk about his husband on national TV from his program “Allá Tú”, something that greatly contributed to LGBT visibility.

Both Ellen DeGeneres and Jesús Vázquez bravely opened doors and are still brave in societies were homophobia hasn’t been eradicated, exposing themselves to the public eye and facing sometimes not so subtle criticism from society and even from the LGBT community.

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